Big Mac Shoreline ride 2011

Got up to a chilly morning, pretty sunrise over lake Michigan.

  Temps were in the 40's, but the weatherman had promised warmer temps and some sunshine later in the day, so we put on our layers, loaded up the gear in the car and headed out to breakfast with our riding friends, Kiersten and Jeff..  Had a good breakfast, a bit overpriced, but hey, what can we expect in a tourist town?

Got to the starting place plenty early to check tires, unload the trikes,  take a few pics, and get set to ride.  I think it was about 9AM when we started. We were glad we had gloves and hats.  another cyclist took a picture of the 4 of us before we started riding.  From left to right, Tony,Pam, Kiersten and Jeff, ready to roll. Trikes are in the background.

Much of the first few hours were spent riding  in the shade, which made it seem colder than it was.  Then, we came upon this tall giraffe in a yard.  It was early,  looked like no one was stirring in the house, no dog, so I went and took a picture of the giraffe.  There was a smaller giraffe nearby, he was closer to the house, didn't get a picture of him,   I sure wondered what the story was behind the giraffes in the yard. Did a sculptor live here and this is his or her work?   It is not something one expects to find, when riding down a country road.

We were glad when we got to ride in some unshaded spots, gave us a chance be warmed by the sun.  Here is a pic of Jeff and Kiersten riding in front of us.

The course started out with, was flat terrain, we rode past some forests, swampy areas, and this old school house, that someone had remodeled and made their home, complete with  double, satellite TV.  The set up seemed so contradictory, I stopped to take a picture.

Further along, there was an old log cabin that was falling down.  The remains of the chimney and fireplace were still, proudly standing.

The weather was a nice mix of sun and clouds, with a light breeze.  We were glad there wasn't a cold wind, that can make riding pretty miserable.  Stopped and took a little break with Jeff and Kiersten, lamenting the problems that recumbent riders can sometimes have with numb feet.  I didn't have that issue today, because we didn't have a lot of steep hills.  There are many theories out there as to the causes of numb feet.  A big contributer, can be shoes that are too tight, which is why I wear biking sandals.  I have wide feet, and find I can get a looser fit with sandals. I prefer Lake sandals.  The ones I like best are no longer made, so I'm not sure what I'll do when they wear out.  When the weather turns cold, I wear smart wool socks with my sandals, and sometimes a pair of my homemade wool socks on top of the smart wools.  Today was only a one layer sock day for Tony and I.

 Clipless pedals can also have an impact on the riders  feet.   I found I got some relief when I switched from Shimano clipless, to egg beaters pedals.  I'm not sure who came up with the name clipless pedals, the pedals have a recessed place where the clip or cleat on the biking shoe locks on.   It seems to me that since the rider is clipping in, that they should be called "clip pedals," but no one asked me before they named them.  It's probably just as well, that they didn't.

We stopped in Cross village at the Leggs Inn for lunch.  The Legs Inn is a restaurant run by a Polish family, so they offer quite a few polish items on the menu.   Tony and I both had a tasty vegetable crepe, that had a name we couldn't pronounce very well.

Stanley Smolak, a native of Poland,  who immigrated in 1887, created the unique atmosphere of Leggs Inn.  He spent a lot of time roaming the woods and forests of the area, and delighted in what he saw, especially the wind and rain worn roots of trees, and remainders of trees washed up on the shores of Lake Michigan..  He carved them into furniture, saying that "Mother Nature was his inspiration."  Here is a picture of our friend Kiersten sitting behind a desk, made from part of a big log.  Some of Smolak's art stands on each side of the entrance to the dining area.  There are far to many pieces of it to take pictures of.

Behind the Inn, on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, are beautiful gardens, as well as an outdoor dining area.

This 90 year old family business, is now owned and operated by the 3rd generation of the Smolak family



Cross Village was once a thriving lumber and fishing town.  It is located on the NW tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  It has a history with strong ties to the Ottawa Indians.  Early historical records show that  before his death in 1675, Father Marquette, who was loved by the native Indian population of the area, planted a huge white cross on a bluff, overlooking Lake Michigan.  There is a replica of the cross that stands in that same spot today,  it is said to be visible far out into the lake.  this is how the name "Cross Village" was given to this settlement.

As we headed out of Cross Village we rode past this stone church, I didn't write the name of it down, and could not locate any history of it.

I'll conclude this blog entry with Cross Village, and add more about our Big Mac Shoreline Tour in my next blog entry.  Stay tuned, for more.